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Crontrol system

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Posted

Started rigging my controls this week and found a issue with the elevator or the stick. With the elevator level with the horiz, the stick is too far  forward. Either the original builder had arms that drug the ground or something was modified. Control rigging seems to be correct and the elevator has the required 35 deg up travel so maybe he made new sticks for him. Easiest fix is to make new sticks with a little different bend to solve the problem. Anybody else had this issue or am I just built odd?

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Posted

Me thinks you answered your own question Allen.  But having once met you, you don't appear "built odd" (to me anyways).  Just say'in -:)

paul

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Posted

Maybe we are both odd! BTW what did you decide on the aircraft you have? If my memory is correct.

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Posted (edited)

Was down at the barn sitting on my dunce stool looking at the control sticks and a Blue Sky moment came to me. I thought "naw, it couldn't be that simple".  Unbolted the sticks, turned them upside down, and problem solved. Since I had never unbolted them from the pivot points, another fact that the previous owner never flew it much, if any. Either that or he's got a strange sense of humor and changed them just for laughs.

Edited by Allen Sutphin
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Posted (edited)

First thought that went through my mind was do the sticks need to be rotated 180 degrees.   I'm sure you thought of that though. 

 

Allen,  I typed this yesterday, and didn't send it.  it was still therein the reply box...../Although, I was thinking rotating from the back 180 degrees

Meant to say front to back 180 degrees:rolleyes:

Edited by 1avidflyer

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Posted

I studied the sticks while they were mounted and they sure look like the same bend on both top and bottom. After turning them upside down I still didn't believe it. But traced them on paper and they are quite different in the bend radius. Looks can be deceiving.

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Posted

That has solved a mystery for me as my fox 3 needed long arms to get the elevator to full travel.

thanks.

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Posted

That has solved a mystery for me as my fox 3 needed long arms to get the elevator to full travel.

thanks.

All I can say is give it a try, it worked for me. And I did not loose any elevator travel. I really don't like flying in an uncomfortable position. I personally think with the stick in a natural position one has a little better feel for the control. At the worst, a muffler shop can bend new sticks after you make a pattern. A piece of PVC pipe and a butane torch does a good job for a pattern if needed.

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Posted

Maybe we are both odd! BTW what did you decide on the aircraft you have? If my memory is correct.

Well glad you asked. Since the incident last Sep, I set my bird in the corner of the shop. Still don't actually know why that motor quit.

Anyways, I've decided to replace the mangled gear and render the other repairs which so far appear to be only the bent longerons.  In the meanwhile, I'm studying viable 4-stroke alternatives (eg. Bmw R100 conv). If I don't come up w/anything in that respect, it will be for-sale. I've decided I don't want to be behind a 2-stroke again and for a variety of what I think well founded reasons.

Glad to hear your's coming along great. Thats a sharp kitfox you have there.

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Posted

Everybody has reasons for 4 strokes or two strokes. All viable reasons to that individual. If I'd had a failure, I might feel the same way. No right or wrong answer. Currently things are running about $150-200 per horsepower average. The Jab 2200 is the closest to reasonable weight but new, its pricy. I tend to shy away from used engines unless I know the engine. Good Luck with whatever you decide! Aircraft engines are like wives, if you don't trust them, then they can cause a lot of grief.

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Posted

Interesting you mentioned turning sticks around. In my Fat Avid the fuselage is wider, but the same stick setup is used as in a normal Avid. In order to center the stick between my legs and have it positioned comfortably,  I had to have rotated about 45 degrees instead of forward or backward. So you can spin the stick around in the little hole until it works as you like!

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